Contact details

Suzanne Tarplee

T: +44 20 7809 2389 M: +44 7718 247 220 Email Suzanne | vCard Office: London

Awards

Rail

Rail

Transport: Rail

Transport: Rail

Transport finance and leasing

Transport finance and leasing

Suzanne Tarplee Partner and co head of rail

Contact details

Suzanne Tarplee

Suzanne Tarplee
Partner and co head of rail

T: +44 20 7809 2389 M: +44 7718 247 220 Email Suzanne | vCard Office: London

Suzanne is a commercial and regulatory rail expert and advises on all aspects of the heavy and light rail markets, both within the UK and internationally. Her clients include rolling stock manufacturers and maintainers, train operators and the public sector.
  • Profile
  • Sectors

Suzanne has worked within the rail industry for over 15 years (including a train operator and as general counsel for HS2) and really understands the issues faced by her clients and the industry as a whole. Her experience includes providing comprehensive advice on railway franchises and concessions (both in the bidding and operational phases), rolling stock procurements (including all elements of procurement, evaluation, financing, leasing and maintenance of the new fleets) and regulatory matters (including track, depot and station access and new regulatory regimes). Suzanne’s broader experience includes advising on PPP and PFI projects.

Suzanne's recent projects have included advising bidders in all rounds of franchising and concessioning in the UK as well as advising on all recent high profile rolling stock procurements.

The rail team at Stephenson Harwood is a significantly expanding team, noted for its very high-profile instructions across a range of rail issues. Especially noted for its expertise in franchise bids and rolling stock-related issues.

Ranked in Chambers UK where clients commented in relation to the rail team stating: "They're very commercially astute and have made the effort to understand our business."

"Suzanne Tarplee for her in-depth knowledge of the Rail Industry, excellent contacts and her in-depth knowledge of our own business (which is often better than that of our own senior employees!)."

The Legal 500 UK 2023

  • Rail and road

Franchising and concessions

Leading lawyer advising bidders in all rounds of franchising and concessioning including bids for West Coast, Scotrail, Great Western, Southern, Thameslink, Crosscountry, Essex Thameside and London Overground. Also advising on a number of direct award contracts.

Rolling stock procurement

Lead lawyer advising on the procurement, leasing and maintenance of new fleets acting for the operator, manufacturers or financiers including on the Thameslink, IEP, TSGN, Moorgate, West Coast, Great Western, Class 380s and Class 350/4s.

Regulation

Working alongside clients in their strategic rail regulation issues. Advising on all elements of rail regulation including the design of regulatory and charging frameworks.

Light rail

Our rail team advises on a number of light rail matters in the UK and overseas, including successful tram procurement bids for Blackpool and Birmingham trams and a bid for Moscow trams.

Operational advice

We work with operators and manufacturers in the operational phase of their contracts, including on contract interpretation, disputes, supply chain arrangements and property transactions.

Competition

UK and EU competition issues are at the top of the agenda in the rail industry.We advise on rail aspects of all competition filings in the UK and EU.

More: Rail and road

Awards

Rail

Rail

Transport: Rail

Transport: Rail

Transport finance and leasing

Transport finance and leasing

Latest news & insights

28 Sep 2023

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17 Jul 2023

From Insights

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07 Jul 2023

From Insights

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20 Jun 2023

From Insights

Signalling the way forward: What the Hitachi and Thales provisional merger decision could mean to the rail industry in the UK

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16 Mar 2023
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From Insights

Start your engines: bus infrastructure

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01 Mar 2023

From Insights

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23 Feb 2023

From Insights

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The increased use of zero-emission vehicles, both for personal use and for public transport, is a key focus of the UK's transport decarbonisation plan and is intended ..

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16 Feb 2023

From Insights

All aboard for local bus services: Bus franchising vs enhanced partnerships

In this article, the Stephenson Harwood rail and bus team explores the key characteristics of both franchising and EPs, as well as some of the potential benefits – and..

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14 Feb 2023

From Insights

Waterloo sunset

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09 Feb 2023

From Insights

Bus-y times for bus bus-inesses

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08 Feb 2023

From Insights

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11 Jul 2022

From Insights

Delivering the future railway - What are the implications for rail's people?

Delivering the future railway - What are the implications for rail's people? That was the question posed to a room full of railway professionals on Wednesday 6 July 20..

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24 May 2022

From News

Stephenson Harwood advises on delivery of Crossrail

​Law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP has advised Transport for London (TfL) on the delivery of Crossrail, the railway infrastructure which will support the newly launched ..

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24 May 2022

From Insights

Crossrail: complexities of large infrastructure projects

In this piece, we consider some of the complexities relating to the legal and regulatory framework for the implementation of large railway projects.

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12 Apr 2022

From Insights

Who is the future customer of the railway? Top 10 takeaways from our top table dinner

Who is the future customer of the railway? That was the question posed to a room full of railway professionals on Wednesday 6 April 2022 at the latest in our series of..

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